Mechanical ring rail lowering mechanism

ABSTRACT

As a spinning frame ring rail approaches the top of its next-tolast traverse, a mechanical release finger on the rail contacts a relatively fixed mechanical clutch actuator rod and is shifted by the rod to a release position. Responsive to this action, a trip element on the ring rail is shifted by spring force to an active position beneath the clutch actuator rod. On the final up stroke of the ring rail, the trip element engages the clutch actuator rod and releases it from a locking means, allowing the mechanical clutch to be engaged by spring force. A pulley on the clutch output shaft winds up a flexible element which is connected to ring rail support and traversing means, thus lowering the rail to a bobbin doffing position. As the ring rail approaches the doffing position, a striker pin on the trip mechanism engages a lower switch roller and is moved to a position which returns the trip mechanism to the original position. The mechanism may also be used in a semi-automatic mode without the trip mechanism.

United States Patent [1 1 Williamson et al.

[ Apr. 16, 1974 MECHANICAL RING RAIL LOWERING MECHANISM [73] Assignee:Southern Machinery Company,

Greer, S.C.

22 Filed: July 21,1972

21 Appl. No.: 273,866

[52] US. Cl 57/54, 242/26.1, 242/26.4

Primary Examiner-John Petrakes Assistant Examiner-Charles GorensteinAttorney, Agent, or Firm-B. P. Fishburne, Jr.

57 ABSTRACT As a spinning frame ring rail approaches the top of itsnext-to-last traverse, a mechanical release finger on the rail contactsa relatively fixed mechanical clutch actuator rod and is shifted by therod to a release position. Responsive to this action, a trip element onthe ring rail is shifted by spring force to an active position beneaththe clutch actuator rod. On the final up stroke of the ring rail, thetrip element engages the clutch actuator rod and releases it from alocking means, allowing the mechanical clutch to be engaged by springforce. A pulley on the clutch output shaft winds up a flexible elementwhich is connected to ring rail support and traversing means, thuslowering the rail to a bobbin doffing position. As the ring railapproaches the doffing position, a striker pin on the trip mechanismengages a lower switch roller and is moved to a position which returnsthe trip mechanism to the original position. The mechanism may also beused in a semi-automatic mode without the trip mechanism.

15 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures amaam PATENTEBAPR 16 m4 SHEET 3 BF 4PAIENTEDAPRIBIBN 3.803.82'

SHEET u or 4 MECHANICAL RING RAIL LOWERING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention has arisen to fill a need for asimplified, economical and reliable, completely mechanical, device forlowering the ring rail of the spinning machine to the doff position atrequired times. The patented prior art in recent years contains a numberof teachings on means for lowering a ring rail but generally suchdevices have embodied electrical, hydraulic or electromagnetic operatingsystems which have proven to be unduly expensive and in some instancesnot completely reliable in operation.

Accordingly, the objective of this invention is to improve upon theprior art pertaining to ring rail lowering devices by the provision of apurely mechanical apparatus which is substantially fool-proof and whichmay be operated in a fully automaic or semi-automatic mode. Theequipment is readily adaptable to most conventional spinning frames nowin the field. The apparatus is characterizedby ruggedness and extremesimplicity and ease of installation and maintenance. It employs as itskey operating element a very efficient mechanical clutch of a type whichemploys hardened steel balls, rolling in steel cam tracks, to convertrotary engaging effort into axial thrust on ball bearings. Friction isreduced to a very minimum in the clutch, requiring much less engagingeffort than is usually the case with mechanically actuated clutches.

In conjunction with the above very efficient clutch means, the inventionemploys a simple mechanical trip mechanism which automatically activatesthe clutch at the proper times and has the ability to return or resetitself automatically for the next cycle of operation of the apparatusfollowing the lowering of the ring rail. The apparatus is also equippedwith a manual linkage for the cooling of the clutch and/or the releaseor activation thereof.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a fragmentary partlyschematic side elevation of a spinning frame equipped with the ring raillowering mechanism embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of a trip or releasemechanism carried by the ring rail of the spinning frame, partly insection.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the ring rail lowering mechanismincluding a mechanical clutch and its operating linkage as viewed fromthe head end of the frame, parts in section, the clutch beingdisengaged.

FIG. 3A is a view similar to FIG. 3 with the clutch shown in the activeor engaged position.

FIG. 4 is a central vertical section taken through the ring raillowering clutch and associated elements, partly in elevation, as viewedfrom the side of the spinning frame shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the trip mechanism on the ring rail asviewed from the end of the ring rail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein likenumerals designate like parts throughout, and in particular referring'toFIG. 1, there is shown a portion of a spinning frame comprising astationary horizontal spindle rail 20 supported at its opposite ends byupstanding frame ends, the spinning frame head end 21 only being shownin the drawings. A multiplicity of spindles 22 are mounted upon thespindle rail 20 for the support of a like number of bobbins 23 adaptedto have yarn 24 wrapped thereon by the conventional operation of theframe. The customary vertically oscillating ring rail 25 guides the yarnonto the bobbins 23 during the gradual building thereof, and this ringrail is supported at plural points therealong by vertically shiftablelifter rods 26 having suitable guided engagement with the spindle rail20. The ring rail 25 and lifter rods 26 are biased upwardly by lifterarms 27 secured to rocker shafts 28 and having extensions 29 carryingadjustable counterweights 30, or adjustable spring counter-balancingmeans, in some cases.

The ring rail 25 is continually oscillated vertically during thebuilding of the bobbins by a well-known builder motion 31 mounted uponthe spinning frame, as shown. The builder motion continuously coactswith the counterweighted ring rail support and lift means,above-described, to impart to the rail the required up and down movementand gradual elevation to build filling or warp bobbins with a fillingwind. In doing this, the builder motion 31 alternately draws in and paysout a flexible chain or cable 32, engaging a pulley 33 supported asshown. The flexible element 32 is attached at its remote end to anarcuate sector 35 carried by the rocker shaft 28, and an extension link36 connects the sector 35 with a similar sector 35' on the next rockershaft '28 of the frame, whereby all such sectors will be moved in unisonby the coating building motion 31 and counterweights 30. All of theabove construction and mode of operation is conventional and need not befurther described for a proper understanding of the invention.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1, the spinning frame further comprises afront draft roll 38 which revolves continuously when the frame isoperating and carries at the head end of the frame a gear 38', in meshwith other conventional gears 39, 40, 41 and 42, the latter gear 42being directly coupled to an input shaft 43 of a ring rail loweringmechanical clutch assembly designated by the numeral 44.

The clutch assembly 44, FIG. 4, embodies a housing 45 formed in twoseparable sections, and one end of this housing is bolted securely tothe adjacent spinning frame head end 21, as shown. Within the housing 45is a mechanical clutch 46 of a type manufactured and sold by FormspragCompany, 23601 I-Ioover Rd., Warren. Michigan, designated Type 4, ClutchModel No. CA400. Such a clutch is shown and described in US. Pat. No.3,127,969 and others. Clutch 46 is per se conventional and it embodies acamming section 46' containing steel balls and cam tracks, not shown, toconvert rotary effort into axial thrust movement. Multiple alternatingdiscs 47 and 47' are lugged for driving engagement with a clutch drivingcup 48 and with the output shaft of the clutch assembly, to bedescribed. The driving cup 48 is fixedly secured to a driving head 49,pinned at 50 to the clutch input shaft 43 driven by gear 42.

The clutch assembly further comprises at its other end an output shaft51 having a ring rail lowering pulley 52 mounted thereon exteriorly ofthe clutch housing and turning therewith whenever the clutch is activelyengaged. As stated, the output shaft 51 is keyed to the discs 47' of theclutch and driven thereby when the clutch is engaged. The clutch 46 hasradially projecting tabs 53 and 54, the former tab being anchored to thehousing 45 by a roll pin 53', and the latter tab 54 being pivotallyconnected at 55 to a linkage crank 56, the latter being pivotallyconnected at 57 to an extension link 58 extending toward the side of thespinning frame. The rear end of link 58 in turn is pivotally connectedat 59 to a bell crank lever 60, pivoted at 61 to a fixed support bar 62on the head end 21 and projecting inwardly therefrom. The bell cranklever 60 includes a handle extension 63, as shown.

A relatively stiff torsion spring 64 has one end extension 65 thereofanchored to the crank arm 60 while the opposite end extension 66 of thespring is anchored to a fixed collar 67 on the fixed post 62. The coilsof the spring 64 surrounding this post with adequate clearance. Thetorsion spring 64 stores sufficient energy which, upon release, causesautomatic engagement of the mechanical clutch 46, as will be furtherdescribed.

The before-mentioned ring rail lowering pulley 52 on the output shaft 51of the clutch has a chain 68 connected thereto, FIG. 1, engaging arounda directional pulley 69 and leading to a sector 71 on the rocker shaft28, and adjustably attached thereto at 72. Similar sectors 71, etc. arecarried by the other rocker shafts 28 of the frame for connection withextension chains 73 of the system, all under control of the clutchoperated pulley 52.

The chain 68 is maintained in a taut condition during the normaloperation of the builder motion and ring rail by any of severalconventional expedients. For example, the ring rail lowering pulley 52may have associated therewith for this purpose a torsional coil springsuch as the spring 68 shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,925. An equivalentconventional arrangement is shown with the torsion spring 81 for pulley78 in U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,167. If preferred, in lieu of a torsion springconnected with the pulley 52, a retractile coil spring similar to ascreen door closing spring may be employed with one of its ends securedto the fixed base rail of the spinning frame and its other end securedto the chain which is fastened to the pulley 52. Either arrangement issatisfactory and either arrangement is well known in the art. Thepresent drawings omit any specific showing of a spring means for thispurpose for the sake of simplicity. The torsion spring, if used, issubstantially concealed in the hub portion of pulley 52 as shown in saidprior patents and need not be illustrated herein.

The invention further embodies a trip or release mechanism mounted onand moving with the ring rail 25 and indicated in its entirety by thenumeral 74. This release mechanism consists of a support plate 75secured adjustably to the ring rail, this plate having slots 77 for thereception of bolt means 78. The mechanism 74 additionally comprises ahousing 79 secured adjustably to the support plate 75 by screws 80, thehousing serving to support a clutch trip element or arm 81 pivoted at 82near its bottom between a pair of lugs 83 on the housing 79. The tripelement 81 is swingable from the vertical position shown in full lines,FIG. 2, to the inclined or active position shown in broken lines. It isbiased toward the active position by a compression spring 84 carried bythe housing 79.

- A release finger 85 has its rear end pivoted at 86 to the housing 79and extends through a slot 87 in the trip element 81 of sufficient sizeto allow the release finger to have limited vertical movement on itspivot 86 between the full line and broken line positions shown in FIG.2. The release finger has a locking shoulder 88 on its upper sideengageable with the trip element 81 to lock the trip element in thevertical position. The release finger 85 is biased to the horizontalfull line locking position by another spring 89 in the housing 79,backed up by a tension adjusting set screw 90. A lower limit switchactuator 91 is secured rigidly at 92 to the bottom of the trip element81 and extends at right angles thereto and moves therewith about thepivot element 82 between the full and broken line positions shown inFIG. 2. The actuator 91 also serves automatically to reset or restorethe mechanism 74 to its original full line position when the ring railis in the down position for dofiing as will be further described.Movement of the trip element 81 to the broken line position or inclinedposition is limited by a stop element 93 in the form of a roll pin onthe release finger 85. The top surface 94 of the trip element 81 islevel when the trip element is in the inclined active position shown inbroken lines.

In such active position, the trip element 81 is arranged directlybeneath a clutch actuator rod 95 which has a horizontal portion, FIG. 3,and a depending portion 96 whose shape may vary in accordance with theneeds of various machines or installations. The actuator rod has ascrew-threaded lower extension 97 adjustably secured at 98 to thelinkage crank 56 which controls directly the engagement and release ofthe clutch 44. The rod 95 has a locking notch 99 in its lower sideengageable with a fixed locking bracket 100 secured to the roll beam 101of the spinning frame. The bracket 100 possesses a square detentshoulder 102 which engages one end of the notch 99 to normally positionthe actuator rod 95 in a locked condition to maintain the clutch 44released or inactive. Rod 95 is normally held down by a plunger 95' andspring 96, held adjustably by a screw 97'. The rod 95 is lifted atcertain times by the active trip element 81 sufficiently to release thenotch 99 from the shoulder 102 so that the energy of the torsion spring64 is released to engage the clutch 44.

Positioned-immediately adjacent to bracket 100 is an upper switch 103which is held normally closed by contact with the rod 95, FIG. 3, whenthe latter is in the locked position and the clutch 44 is disengaged.When the switch 103 is closed, the circuit through the spinning framemotor is complete and the spinning frame motor is running. A lowerswitch 104 having a roller actuator 105 in the path of travel of theelement 91 is employed in installations where the apparatus is fullyautomatic. The lower switch is vertically adjustable on the spinningframe to allow final stopping of the frame after wraps of yarn have beenapplied to the bottom of the bobbin or to the spindle beneath the bobbinin some cases. In other installations, the lower switch 104 may beomitted entirely, in which case the upper switch 103 alone regulates thestopping of the spinning frame motor, following lifting of the rod 95 bythe trip element 81. When the two switches are employed together, theyare wired in such a manner that the spinning frame motor continues tooperate after the switch 103 is open and does not stop until the lowerswitch 104 is opened by contact with the element 91, the switch 104being a normally closed switch.

OPERATION The cycle of operation of the apparatus may be brieflysummarized as follows. The trip mechanism 74 is positioned and latchedin the full line condition shown in FIG. 2 during the entire traverse ofthe ring rail for building of bobbins after the ring rail is releasedfrom the doff position. As the ring rail 25 approaches its next to finalup position adjacent to the tops of the bobbins 24, the release finger85 will make contact with the bottom of clutch actuator rod 95 andcontinued upward movement of the ring rail will cause the finger 85 tobe depressed by the rod 05 toward the broken line position shown in thedrawing. This movement of the finger 85 releases the trip element 81from its inactive position and the force of spring 84 shifts the element81 and the finger 85 to the broken line positions and maintains the tripmechanism 74 so positioned or activated.

On the final upward stroke of the ring rail, the top of the trip element81 is directly under the rod 95 and engages and lifts the rodsufficiently to release the locking notch 99 from the shoulder 102. Uponrelease of the rod 95 by the action of trip element 81, two'things occursubstantially simultaneously. The switch 103 opens the circuit to thespinning frame motor (in the case where only an upper switch isemployed) and the spinning frame now begins to coast to a stop. Theenergy of torsion spring 64 is now released'and through the crank arm60, link 58 and crank 56 the clutch tab 54'is pulled and turned by thelinkage toward the engaged position, as shown in FIG. 3A. As soon as theclutch is engaged, the pulley 52 begins to wind up the chain 68 to lowerthe ring rail 25 automatically to the down or doff position where thering rail is locked and held for the doffing operation prior to itsrelease for a new cycle of bobbin building by the frame.

In the normal or preferred situation where the two switches 103 and 104are'employed to render the apparatus fully automatic, as the ring rail25 approaches the doff position, the element 91 will strike the switchactuator roller l05'and open this switch 104 to cut off the spinningrail motor. Wherethe two switches are employed, the opening of the upperswitch 103 alone ,will not shut off the spinning frame motor and theopening of both switches is required to accomplish this. Simultaneously,with the opening of the lower switch 104, the element 91- is returned bythe roller 105 to the full line horizontal position in FIG. 2, thusresetting or restoring the trip mechanism 74 to the inactive positionshown in full lines, and ready for the next bobbin building cycle of thespinning frame. The lower switch 104 is vertically adjustable so thatcontrol of the yarn wraps on the bottom of the bobbin or on the spindlebelow the bobbin can be attained as desired.

When the apparatus for lowering the ring rail is employed in a manualmode, the trip mechanism 74 and the lower switch 104 are omitted,together with all components shown in FIG. 3 which are to the left-handside of the crank 56. For random doffing, the doffer utilizing thehandle 63 cocks the lever 60 when the stop button on the spinning frameis pressed. The mechanical clutch is engaged and the ring rail islowered by the coasting frame in direct proportion to front draft rolldelivery and locks in the doff position. The rail is later released fromthe doff position by tripping the cocking lever 60. Therefore, ineffect, when used manually, the operator merely employs the handle orlever 63 to engage or disengage the mechanical clutch at the propertimes. The torsion spring 64 associated with the clutch operatinglinkage is also dispensed with in the manual mode of operation.

It should be mentioned additionally that the clutch 44 is an automaticoverride or slip clutch which is designed to slip under a predeterminedtorque loading. This will prevent stripping of teeth or other damage tothe clutch or related components as sometimes occurs with competitiveprior art systems. With the invention clutch, there is actually nonecessity for latch means to hold the ring rail down in the doffposition as the clutch itself will serve this function. In prior artcompetitive systems, if the mechanism doesnt operate in the correctmanner, stripping of teeth or similar damage will I frequently occur. Onthe other hand, if the system works correctly, there will be a need forlatches to hold the ring rail in the down position. Thus, the presentclutch arrangement incorporates these additional improvement featuresover the known prior art.

It may now be seen that a simple and reliable mechanical arrangement forlowering the ring rail is provided for fully automatic or semi-automaticoperation. The apparatus is adaptable -to most conventional frames. Theuse of hydraulic devices and electrical or electromagnetic clutches withtheir inherent problems is completely avoided. The advantages of theinvention should now be readily apparent to those skilled in the artwithout the necessity for a further description herein.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention or scopeof the subjoined claims.

We claim:

1. In a spinning frame of the movable ring rail type, a mechanical ringrail lowering mechanism, said mechanism comprising a mechanical clutchmounted on the spinning frame head end and having input and outputshafts' and a rotary clutch activating and deactivating componentincluding a projecting tab, spinning frame gearing connected with anddriving the clutch input 7 shaft in direct proportion to the rotationalspeed of the spinning frame front draft roll, a pulley carried by theclutch output shaft, a flexible element windable upon said pulley toeffect lowering of the ring rail when the clutch is engaged, saidflexible element being connected with ring rail supporting andoscillating means of the spinning frame, a clutch operating linkage onthe spinning frame having a connection with said projecting tab of theclutch and being spring-biased in a direction to activate the clutchwhen the spring energy is released, a releasable latching means for saidlinkage on the spinning frame to hold the linkage and said projectingtab in a clutch deactivating position, a linkage release mechanismmounted on the ring rail and movable therewith including a linkage tripelement which engages the linkage and releases it from the latchingmeans on the final upstroke of the ring rail thereby enabling thespring-biased linkage to move said projecting tab to a clutch activatingposition for lowering the ring rail, and electrical switch means on thespinning frame operated by the tripping and releasing of said linkage toshut off the spinning frame motor so that the frame will coast to a stopduring lowering of the ring rail.

2. The structure of claim 1, and said linkage release mechanism mountedon the ring rail comprising a release finger adapted to contact saidlinkage during the penultimate up stroke of the ring rail, said fingerbeing forced downwardly by contact with said linkage to release saidtrip element for movement to a position where the trip element willcontact the bottom of the linkage on the final upstroke of the ringrail, said finger serving as a latch to maintain the trip element in aninactive position relative to the linkage prior to engagement of thefinger with said linkage.

3. The structure of claim 2, and said release mechanism furthercomprising a spring urging said finger toward a normal position wherethe finger is latching the trip element in the inactive position of thetrip element, a second spring urging the trip clement toward its activeposition with relation to the linkage, a stop element on the fingerengageable with the trip element to position it in the active position,and a projecting part on the trip element operable to return the tripelement automatically to its inactive position and to cause latching ofthe trip element by said finger in such position when the ring railapproaches a full down position, said projecting part then contacting arelatively stationary part on the spinning frame which causes movementof the projecting part in a proper direction to reset said linkagerelease mechanism.

4. The structure of claim 3, and said release mechanism furthercomprising a housing attached to the ring rail for adjustment verticallyand horizontally thereon, said finger pivoted to the housing forvertically swinging movement, said trip element and said projecting partforming a unit pivoted to the housing, and said finger having a lockingshoulder engaging the trip element to hold the latter in its inactiveposition with relation to Said linkage.

5. The structure of claim 3, and said relatively stationary part on thespinning frame comprising the actuator element of a lower electricalswitch on the frame forming a part of said switch means.

6. The structure of claim 5, and said switch means further comprising anupper switch fixedly mounted on the frame immediately below said linkageand being engaged by the linkage when the linkage is latched in theclutch deactivating position, the upper switch then maintaining anelectrical circuit through the spinning frame motor to cause the motorto operate, the upper switch deactivating the spinning frame motorcircuit when the linkage is engaged by said trip element and releasedfor movement to the clutch activating position.

7. The structure of claim 6, and said lower electrical switch beingelectrically connected to the upper switch in such a way that thespinning frame motor will continue to operate until said projecting parton the trip element contacts the actuator element of the lower switch toopen the lower switch, the lower switch being normally closed, and theupper switch being a normally closed switch.

8. The structure of claim 1, and said releasable latching means for saidlinkage comprising a linkage rod having a locking notch in its lowerside, a guide element for said linkage rod on the spinning frame havinga locking shoulder engageable with said notch, said rod being liftablewith relation to said shoulder by said trip element to release saidlinkage for movement to said clutch activating position, and resilientmeans bearing down on said rod and yieldably maintaining said notchengaged with said shoulder.

9. The structure of claim 8, and said clutch operating linkage furthercomprising a crank element on said rod pivoted to said projecting tab, apull link pivoted to said crank element, and a crank lever pivoted tothe spinning frame and pivotally attached to said pull link.

10. The structure of claim 9, and a biasing spring for said linkageconnected with said crank lever and urging the lever to turn in onedirection on its pivot.

11. The structure of claim 10, and said spring comprising a torsion coilspring on the pivot of said crank lever.

12. A spinning frame ring rail lowering mechanism comprising amechanical clutch mountable upon a fixed part of a spinning frame andhaving an input rotary shaft adapted to be driven by a constantlyrotating element of the spinning frame, said clutch having an outputrotary shaft carrying a pulley having a flexible element windablethereon to lower the ring rail of a spinning frame when the clutch isengaged, the clutch including a rotary component which must be turned inone direction to engage the clutch and in an opposite direction todisengage the clutch, a clutch operating linkage including a pivotedoperating lever and a linkage part connected with said rotary component,spring means connected with said linkage and biasing it in a directionto engage said clutch by rotary movement of the component to effectlowering of a ring rail, and releasable locking means on the spinningframe to hold the linkage in a position with said component where theclutch is disengaged and said clutch output shaft is stationary duringcontinued rotation of said input shaft.

13. The structure of claim 12, and a linkage release means mountableupon a spinning frame ring rail and engageable with said linkage in afull up position of the ring rail to unlock the linkage so that thelatter will activate the clutch automatically under influence of saidspring means.

14. The structure of claim 13, and electrical switch means contactingsaid linkage and operated by the unlocking of the linkage to open aspinning frame drive motor circuit and stop the drive motor so that theframe is coasting to a stop while the ring rail is being lowered to adoff position responsive to engagement of said clutch.

15. The structure of claim 14, and said linkage release means includinga movable trip element, and means engageable with said trip element asthe ring rail approaches a doff position to automatically reset the tripelement in preparation for a new bobbin building cycle.

t i l 4

1. In a spinning frame of the movable ring rail type, a mechanical ring rail lowering mechanism, said mechanism comprising a mechanical clutch mounted on the spinning frame head end and having input and output shafts and a rotary clutch activating and deactivating component including a projecting tab, spinning frame gearing connected with and driving the clutch input shaft in direct proportion to the rotational speed of the spinning frame front draft roll, a pulley carried by the clutch output shaft, a flexible element windable upon said pulley to effect lowering of the ring rail when the clutch is engaged, said flexible element being connected with ring rail supporting and oscillating means of the spinning frame, a clutch operating linkage on the spinning frame having a connection with said projecting tab of the clutch and being spring-biased in a direction to activate the clutch when the spring energy is released, a releasable latching means for said linkage on the spinning frame to hold the linkage and said projecting tab in a clutch deactivating position, a linkage release mechanism mounted on the ring rail and movable therewith including a linkage trip element which engages the linkage and releases it from the latching means on the final upstroke of the ring rail thereby enabling the spring-biased linkage to move said projecting tab to a clutch activating position for lowering the ring rail, and electrical switch means on the spinning frame operated by the tripping and releasing of said linkage to shut off the spinning frame motor so that the frame will coast to a stop during lowering of the ring rail.
 2. The structure of claim 1, and said linkage release mechanism mounted on the ring rail comprising a release finger adapted to contact said linkage during the penultimate up stroke of the ring rail, said finger being forced downwardly by contact with said linkage to release said trip element for movement to a position where the trip element will contact the bottom of the linkage on the final upstroke of the ring rail, said finger serving as a latch to maintain the trip element in an inactive position relative to the linkage prior to engagement of the finger with said linkage.
 3. The structure of claim 2, and said release mechanism further comprising a spring urging said finger toward a normal position where the finger is latching the trip element in the inactive position of the trip element, a second spring urging the trip element toward its active position with relation to the linkage, a stop element on the finger engageable with the trip element to position it in the active position, and a projecting part on the trip element operable to return the trip element automatically to its inactive position and to cause latching of the trip element by said finger in such position when the ring rail approaches a full down position, said projecting part then contacting a relatively stationary part on the spinning frame which causes movement of the projecting part in a proper direction to reset said linkage release mechanism.
 4. The structure of claim 3, and said release mechanism further comprising a housing attached to the ring rail for adjustment vertically and horizontally thereon, said finger pivoted to the housing for vertically swinging movement, said trip element and said projecting part forming a unit pivoted to the housing, and said finger having a locking shoulder engaging the trip element to hold the latter in its inactive position with relation to said linkage.
 5. The structure of claim 3, and said relatively stationary part on the spinning frame comprising the actuator element of a lower electrical switch on the frame forming a part of said switch means.
 6. The structure of claim 5, and said switch means further comprising an upper switch fixedly mounted on the frame immediately below said linkage and being engaged by the linkage when the linkage is latched in the clutch deactivating position, the upper switch then maintaining an electrical circuit through the spinning frame motor to cause the motor to operate, the upper switch deactivating the spinning frame motor circuit when the linkage is engaged by said trip element and released for movement to the clutch activating position.
 7. The structure of claim 6, and said lower electrical switch being electrically connected to the upper switch in such a way that the spinning frame motor will continue to operate until said projecting part on the trip element contacts the actuator element of the lower switch to open the lower switch, the lower switch being normally closed, and the upper switch being a normally closed switch.
 8. The structure of claim 1, and said releasable latching means for said linkage comprising a linkage rod having a locking notch in its lower side, a guide element for said linkage rod on the spinning frame having a locking shoulder engageable with said notch, said rod being liftable with relation to said shoulder by said trip element to release said linkage for movement to said clutch activating position, and resilient means bearing down on said rod and yieldably maintaining said notch engaged with said shoulder.
 9. The structure of claim 8, and said clutch operating linkage further comprising a crank element on said rod pivoted to said projecting tab, a pull link pivoted to said crank element, and a crank lever pivoted to the spinning frame and pivotally attached to said pull link.
 10. The structure of claim 9, and a biasing spring for said linkage connected with said crank lever and urging the lever to turn in one direction on its pivot.
 11. The structure of claim 10, and said spring comprising a torsion coil spring on the pivot of said crank lever.
 12. A spinning frame ring rail lowering mechanism comprising a mechanical clutch mountable upon a fixed part of a spinning frame and having an input rotary shaft adapted to be driven by a constantly rotating element of the spinning frame, said clutch having an output rotary shaft carrying a pulley having a flexible element windable thereon to lower the ring rail of a spinning frame when the clutch is engaged, the clutch including a rotary component which must be turned in one direction to engage the clutch and in an opposite direction to disengage the clutch, a clutch operating linkage including a pivoted operating lever and a linkage part connected with said rotary component, spring means connected with said linkage and biasing it in a direction to engage said clutch by rotary movement of the component to effect lowering of a ring rail, and releasable locking means on the spinning frame to hold the linkage in a position with said component where the clutch is disengaged and said clutch output shaft is stationary during continued rotation of said input shaft.
 13. The structure of claim 12, and a linkage release means mountable upon a spinning frame ring rail and engageable with said linkage in a full up position of the ring rail to unlock the linkage so that the latter will activate the clutch automatically under influence of said spring means.
 14. The structure of claim 13, and electrical switch means contacting said linkage and operated by the unlocking of the linkage to open a spinning frame drive motor circuit and stop the drive motor so that the frame is coasting to a stop while the ring rail is being lowered to a doff position responsive to engagement of said clutch.
 15. The structure of claim 14, and said linkage release means including a movable trip element, and means engageable with said trip element as the ring rail approaches a doff position to automatically reset the trip element in preparation for a new bobbin building cycle. 